Do
you or does someone you know drive a car in Colorado using a license
from another state? If so, you may be very interested in the following
information. It is a fairly common misconception that getting a ticket
in another state isn’t a big deal because that state has no authority to
impair or revoke an out-of-state license. In fact, chances are
excellent your speeding ticket, DUI, defective headlight or other
violation will be immediately relayed back to your home state’s motor
vehicle department.

In 1982 Colorado became a signatory to the Interstate Driver’s
License Compact (DLC), an agreement between and among DLC party states
to share information on traffic law violations. Today, together with 44
other states, Colorado fulfills its commitments under the DLC by
reporting any conviction or guilty plea in any incident (felony or
misdemeanor) involving the operation of a motor vehicle by a person
licensed in a different DLC state back to that state. The only states
which do not participate in the DLC are Wisconsin, Tennessee, Georgia,
Massachusetts and Michigan.

The impact of the DLC varies. In some cases, it is up to the home
state whether it wishes to punish one of its licensees for an
out-of-state traffic violation. For example, Kentucky does not assess
points against its licenses for out-of-state speeding tickets. However,
in the cases of manslaughter, DUI, felonies and Hit and Run, DLC states
pledge to treat the offense as if it had occurred in the home state and
render punishment accordingly.

One thing is certain; unless you are licensed by one of the non-party
states, your state is going to find out about your Colorado ticket.
Then, depending upon your state’s policies or the nature of the
offense, your Colorado conviction may become part of your driving
record, which is routinely screened by insurers and prospective
employers—a potentiality carrying far-reaching economic effects.